# Codebook for the Oxford Covid-19 Government Response Tracker

***Codebook version 3.4 <br/>27 September 2021***

This document is the authoritative codebook for the Oxford Covid-19 Government Response Tracker ([GitHub repo](https://github.com/OxCGRT/covid-policy-tracker), [university website](https://www.bsg.ox.ac.uk/covidtracker)). The dataset contains 23 indicators and a miscellaneous notes field organised into five groups:
- [C - containment and closure policies](#containment-and-closure-policies)
- [E - economic policies](#economic-policies)
- [H - health system policies](#health-system-policies)
- [V - vaccination policies](#vaccination-policies)
- [M - miscellaneous policies](#miscellaneous-policies)

For more detailed guidance about the codebook and how we interpret the indicators, see the [coding interpretation guide](interpretation_guide.md). This ensures consistency, and standardizes coding across the database.

Updates to this codebook are recorded in the [changelog](#codebook-changelog) below.

Most indicators are recorded on an ordinal scale that represents the level of strictness of the policy. Four of the indicators (E3, E4, H4 and H5) are recorded as a US dollar value of fiscal spending. V1 records categorical data and the ranked order of prioritised groups for vaccination in a population.

Government coronavirus policies often vary by region within countries. We code the most stringent government policy that is in place in a country/territory, as represented by the highest ordinal value. Sometimes the most stringent policy in a country/territory will only apply to a small part of the population. If the most stringent policy is only present in a limited geographic area or sector (eg perhaps only one state has implemented policies at a high level), we use a binary flag variable to denote this limited scope. Ten of the indicators (C1-C7, H1, H6 and H8) have a flag for whether they are "targeted" to a specific geographical region (flag=0) or whether they are a "general" policy that is applied across the whole country/territory (flag=1).) E1 has a flag to describe whether income support is for just formal sector workers (flag=0) or whether it includes informal workers as well (flag=1). H7 has a flag to describe whether vaccine policy is funded at cost to the individual (flag=0) or by government (flag=1).

As explained in our [index methodology documentation](index_methodology.md), an indicator with flag=0 is weighted lower than flag=1 when calculating overall index values. 

We have stopped updating data on our E3, E4, and H4 fiscal indicators. The data for these indicators will still be present in the CSV files, but they are not being actively updated beyond August 2021. 

### Containment and closure policies

| ID | Name | Description | Measurement | Coding |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| C1 | `C1_School closing` | Record closings of schools and universities | Ordinal scale | 0 - no measures <br/>1 - recommend closing or all schools open with alterations resulting in significant differences compared to non-Covid-19 operations <br/>2 - require closing (only some levels or categories, eg just high school, or just public schools) <br/>3 - require closing all levels <br/>Blank - no data |
| | `C1_Flag` | | Binary flag for geographic scope | 0 - targeted <br/>1- general <br/>Blank - no data |
| C2 | `C2_Workplace closing` | Record closings of workplaces | Ordinal scale | 0 - no measures <br/>1 - recommend closing (or recommend work from home) or all businesses open with alterations resulting in significant differences compared to non-Covid-19 operation <br/>2 - require closing (or work from home) for some sectors or categories of workers <br/>3 - require closing (or work from home) for all-but-essential workplaces (eg grocery stores, doctors) <br/>Blank - no data |
| | `C2_Flag` | | Binary flag for geographic scope | 0 - targeted <br/>1- general <br/>Blank - no data |
| C3 | `C3_Cancel public events` | Record cancelling public events | Ordinal scale | 0 - no measures <br/>1 - recommend cancelling <br/>2 - require cancelling <br/>Blank - no data |
| | `C3_Flag` | | Binary flag for geographic scope | 0 - targeted <br/>1- general <br/>Blank - no data |
| C4 | `C4_Restrictions on gatherings` | Record limits on gatherings | Ordinal scale | 0 - no restrictions <br/>1 - restrictions on very large gatherings (the limit is above 1000 people) <br/>2 - restrictions on gatherings between 101-1000 people <br/>3 - restrictions on gatherings between 11-100 people <br/>4 - restrictions on gatherings of 10 people or less <br/>Blank - no data |
| | `C4_Flag` | | Binary flag for geographic scope | 0 - targeted <br/>1- general <br/>Blank - no data |
| C5 | `C5_Close public transport` | Record closing of public transport | Ordinal scale | 0 - no measures <br/>1 - recommend closing (or significantly reduce volume/route/means of transport available) <br/>2 - require closing (or prohibit most citizens from using it) <br/>Blank - no data |
| | `C5_Flag` | | Binary flag for geographic scope | 0 - targeted <br/>1- general <br/>Blank - no data |
| C6 | `C6_Stay at home requirements` | Record orders to "shelter-in-place" and otherwise confine to the home | Ordinal scale | 0 - no measures <br/>1 - recommend not leaving house <br/>2 - require not leaving house with exceptions for daily exercise, grocery shopping, and 'essential' trips <br/>3 - require not leaving house with minimal exceptions (eg allowed to leave once a week, or only one person can leave at a time, etc) <br/>Blank - no data |
| | `C6_Flag` | | Binary flag for geographic scope | 0 - targeted <br/>1- general <br/>Blank - no data |
| C7 | `C7_Restrictions on internal movement` | Record restrictions on internal movement between cities/regions | Ordinal scale | 0 - no measures <br/>1 - recommend not to travel between regions/cities <br/>2 - internal movement restrictions in place <br/>Blank - no data |
| | `C7_Flag` | | Binary flag for geographic scope | 0 - targeted <br/>1- general <br/>Blank - no data |
| C8 | `C8_International travel controls` | Record restrictions on international travel <br/><br/>Note: this records policy for foreign travellers, not citizens | Ordinal scale | 0 - no restrictions <br/>1 - screening arrivals <br/>2 - quarantine arrivals from some or all regions <br/>3 - ban arrivals from some regions <br/>4 - ban on all regions or total border closure <br/>Blank - no data |

### Economic policies

| ID | Name | Description | Measurement | Coding |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| E1 | `E1_Income support` <br/>(for households) | Record if the government is providing direct cash payments to people who lose their jobs or cannot work. <br/><br/>Note: only includes payments to firms if explicitly linked to payroll/salaries | Ordinal scale | 0 - no income support <br/>1 - government is replacing less than 50% of lost salary (or if a flat sum, it is less than 50% median salary) <br/>2 - government is replacing 50% or more of lost salary (or if a flat sum, it is greater than 50% median salary) <br/>Blank - no data |
| | `E1_Flag` | | Binary flag for sectoral scope | 0 - formal sector workers only or informal sector workers only <br/>1 - all workers
| E2 | `E2_Debt/contract relief` <br/>(for households) | Record if the government is freezing financial obligations for households (eg stopping loan repayments, preventing services like water from stopping, or banning evictions) | Ordinal scale | 0 - no debt/contract relief <br/>1 - narrow relief, specific to one kind of contract <br/>2 - broad debt/contract relief |
| E3 | `E3_Fiscal measures` | Announced economic stimulus spending <br/><br/>Note: only record amount additional to previously announced spending | USD | Record monetary value in USD of fiscal stimuli, includes any spending or tax cuts NOT included in E4, H4 or H5 <br/>0 - no new spending that day <br/>Blank - no data |
| E4 | `E4_International support` | Announced offers of Covid-19 related aid spending to other countries <br/><br/>Note: only record amount additional to previously announced spending | USD | Record monetary value in USD <br/>0 - no new spending that day <br/>Blank - no data |

### Health system policies

| ID | Name | Description | Measurement | Coding |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| H1 | `H1_Public information campaigns` | Record presence of public info campaigns | Ordinal scale | 0 - no Covid-19 public information campaign <br/>1 - public officials urging caution about Covid-19 <br/>2- coordinated public information campaign (eg across traditional and social media) <br/>Blank - no data |
| | `H1_Flag` | | Binary flag for geographic scope |  0 - targeted <br/>1- general <br/>Blank - no data |
| H2 | `H2_Testing policy` | Record government policy on who has access to testing <br/><br/>Note: this records policies about testing for current infection (PCR tests) not testing for immunity (antibody test) | Ordinal scale | 0 - no testing policy <br/>1 - only those who both (a) have symptoms AND (b) meet specific criteria (eg key workers, admitted to hospital, came into contact with a known case, returned from overseas) <br/>2 - testing of anyone showing Covid-19 symptoms <br/>3 - open public testing (eg "drive through" testing available to asymptomatic people) <br/>Blank - no data |
| H3 | `H3_Contact tracing` | Record government policy on contact tracing after a positive diagnosis <br/><br/>Note: we are looking for policies that would identify all people potentially exposed to Covid-19; voluntary bluetooth apps are unlikely to achieve this | Ordinal scale | 0 - no contact tracing <br/>1 - limited contact tracing; not done for all cases <br/>2 - comprehensive contact tracing; done for all identified cases |
| H4 | `H4_Emergency investment in healthcare` | Announced short term spending on healthcare system, eg hospitals, masks, etc <br/><br/>Note: only record amount additional to previously announced spending | USD | Record monetary value in USD <br/>0 - no new spending that day <br/>Blank - no data |
| H5 | `H5_Investment in vaccines` | Announced public spending on Covid-19 vaccine development <br/><br/>Note: only record amount additional to previously announced spending | USD | Record monetary value in USD <br/>0 - no new spending that day <br/>Blank - no data |
| H6 | `H6_Facial Coverings` | Record policies on the use of facial coverings outside the home <br/> | Ordinal scale | 0 - No policy <br/>1 - Recommended <br/>2 - Required in some specified shared/public spaces outside the home with other people present, or some situations when social distancing not possible <br/>3 - Required in all shared/public spaces outside the home with other people present or all situations when social distancing not possible <br/>4 - Required outside the home at all times regardless of location or presence of other people |
| | `H6_Flag` | | Binary flag for geographic scope |  0 - targeted <br/>1- general <br/>Blank - no data |
| H7 | `H7_Vaccination Policy` | Record policies for vaccine delivery for different groups <br/> | Ordinal scale | 0 - No availability <br/>1 - Availability for ONE of following: key workers/ clinically vulnerable groups (non elderly) / elderly groups <br/>2 - Availability for TWO of following: key workers/ clinically vulnerable groups (non elderly) / elderly groups <br/>3 - Availability for ALL of following: key workers/ clinically vulnerable groups (non elderly) / elderly groups <br/>4 - Availability for all three plus partial additional availability (select broad groups/ages) <br/>5 - Universal availability | 
| | `H7_Flag` | | Binary flag for cost |  0 - At cost to individual (or funded by NGO, insurance, or partially government funded) <br/>1- No or minimal cost to individual (government funded or subsidised) <br/>Blank - no data |
| H8 | `H8_Protection of elderly people` | Record policies for protecting elderly people (as defined locally) in Long Term Care Facilities and/or the community and home setting | Ordinal scale | 0 - no measures <br/>1 - Recommended isolation, hygiene, and visitor restriction measures in LTCFs and/or elderly  people to stay at home <br/>2 - Narrow restrictions for isolation, hygiene in LTCFs, some limitations on external visitors and/or restrictions protecting elderly people at home <br/>3 - Extensive restrictions for isolation and hygiene in LTCFs, all non-essential external visitors prohibited, and/or all elderly people required to stay at home and not leave the home with minimal exceptions, and receive no external visitors <br/>Blank - no data | 
| | `H8_Flag` | | Binary flag for geographic scope | 0 - targeted <br/>1- general <br/>Blank - no data |

### Vaccination policies

Most of the data under our vaccine indicators are directly recorded by OxCGRT data collectors. These variables are:

| ID | Name | Description | Measurement | Coding |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| V1 | `V1_Vaccine prioritisation (summary)` | Reports the existence of a prioritised plan for vaccine rollout | Ordinal scale| Blank – no data <br/>0 - no plan <br/> 1 – a prioritised plan is in place <br/>2 – universal/general eligibility; no prioritisation between groups |
| V1 | Vaccine prioritisation <br/> <br/>`V1_0-4 yrs Infants` <br/>`V1_5-15 yrs Young people` <br/>`V1_General 16-19 yrs` <br/>`V1_General 20-24 yrs` <br/>`V1_General 25-29 yrs` <br/>`V1_General 30-34 yrs` <br/>`V1_General 35-39 yrs` <br/>`V1_General 40-44 yrs` <br/>`V1_General 45-49 yrs` <br/>`V1_General 50-54 yrs` <br/>`V1_General 55-59 yrs` <br/>`V1_General 60-64 yrs` <br/>`V1_General 65-69 yrs` <br/>`V1_General 70-74 yrs` <br/>`V1_General 75-79 yrs` <br/>`V1_General 80+ yrs` <br/>`V1_At Risk 16-19 yrs` <br/>`V1_At Risk 20-24 yrs` <br/>`V1_At Risk 25-29 yrs` <br/>`V1_At Risk 30-34 yrs` <br/>`V1_At Risk 35-39 yrs` <br/>`V1_At Risk 40-44 yrs` <br/>`V1_At Risk 45-49 yrs` <br/>`V1_At Risk 50-54 yrs` <br/>`V1_At Risk 55-59 yrs` <br/>`V1_At Risk 60-64 yrs` <br/>`V1_At Risk 65-69 yrs` <br/>`V1_At Risk 70-74 yrs` <br/>`V1_At Risk 75-79 yrs` <br/>`V1_At Risk 80+ yrs` <br/>`V1_Airport/Border/Airline Staff` <br/>`V1_Clinically vulnerable/chronic illness/significant underlying health condition (excluding elderly and disabled)` <br/>`V1_Crowded/communal living conditions (dormitories for migrant workers, temporary accommodations)` <br/>`V1_Disabled People` <br/>`V1_Educators` <br/>`V1_Ethnic minorities` <br/>`V1_Factory workers` <br/>`V1_Frontline/essential workers (when subcategories not specified)` <br/>`V1_Frontline retail workers` <br/>`V1_Healthcare workers/carers (excluding care home staff)` <br/>`V1_Military` <br/>`V1_Other 'high contact' professions/groups (taxi drivers, security guards)` <br/>`V1_People living with a vulnerable/shielding person or other priority group` <br/>`V1_Police/ first responders` <br/>`V1_Pregnant people` <br/>`V1_Primary and secondary school students` <br/>`V1_Religious/Spiritual Leaders` <br/>`V1_Residents in an elderly care home` <br/>`V1_Staff working in an elderly care home` <br/>`V1_Tertiary education students` | Record the ranked position for different groups within a countries prioritisation plan | Rank order | Blank – category not selected for prioritisation<br/> <br/>1, 2, 3, 4... – category has been selected for prioritisation; number represents the rank of prioritisation; equal-ranked categories will share the same number |
| V2 | Vaccine eligibility/availability <br/> <br/>`V2_0-4 yrs Infants` <br/>`V2_5-15 yrs Young people` <br/>`V2_General 16-19 yrs` <br/>`V2_General 20-24 yrs` <br/>`V2_General 25-29 yrs` <br/>`V2_General 30-34 yrs` <br/>`V2_General 35-39 yrs` <br/>`V2_General 40-44 yrs` <br/>`V2_General 45-49 yrs` <br/>`V2_General 50-54 yrs` <br/>`V2_General 55-59 yrs` <br/>`V2_General 60-64 yrs` <br/>`V2_General 65-69 yrs` <br/>`V2_General 70-74 yrs` <br/>`V2_General 75-79 yrs` <br/>`V2_General 80+ yrs` <br/>`V2_At Risk 16-19 yrs` <br/>`V2_At Risk 20-24 yrs` <br/>`V2_At Risk 25-29 yrs` <br/>`V2_At Risk 30-34 yrs` <br/>`V2_At Risk 35-39 yrs` <br/>`V2_At Risk 40-44 yrs` <br/>`V2_At Risk 45-49 yrs` <br/>`V2_At Risk 50-54 yrs` <br/>`V2_At Risk 55-59 yrs` <br/>`V2_At Risk 60-64 yrs` <br/>`V2_At Risk 65-69 yrs` <br/>`V2_At Risk 70-74 yrs` <br/>`V2_At Risk 75-79 yrs` <br/>`V2_At Risk 80+ yrs` <br/>`V2_Airport/Border/Airline Staff` <br/>`V2_Clinically vulnerable/chronic illness/significant underlying health condition (excluding elderly and disabled)` <br/>`V2_Crowded/communal living conditions (dormitories for migrant workers, temporary accommodations)` <br/>`V2_Disabled People` <br/>`V2_Educators` <br/>`V2_Ethnic minorities` <br/>`V2_Factory workers` <br/>`V2_Frontline/essential workers (when subcategories not specified)` <br/>`V2_Frontline retail workers` <br/>`V2_Healthcare workers/carers (excluding care home staff)` <br/>`V2_Military` <br/>`V2_Other 'high contact' professions/groups (taxi drivers, security guards)` <br/>`V2_People living with a vulnerable/shielding person or other priority group` <br/>`V2_Police/ first responders` <br/>`V2_Pregnant people` <br/>`V2_Primary and secondary school students` <br/>`V2_Religious/Spiritual Leaders` <br/>`V2_Residents in an elderly care home` <br/>`V2_Staff working in an elderly care home` <br/>`V2_Tertiary education students` | Record which categories of people – regardless of their position in a prioritised rollout plan – are currently receiving vaccines | Categorical/ binary | Blank – no data <br/>0 - vaccines are not being made available to this category <br/>1 - vaccines are being made available to this category |
| V3 | Vaccine financial support <br/> <br/>`V3_0-4 yrs Infants` <br/>`V3_5-15 yrs Young people` <br/>`V3_General 16-19 yrs` <br/>`V3_General 20-24 yrs` <br/>`V3_General 25-29 yrs` <br/>`V3_General 30-34 yrs` <br/>`V3_General 35-39 yrs` <br/>`V3_General 40-44 yrs` <br/>`V3_General 45-49 yrs` <br/>`V3_General 50-54 yrs` <br/>`V3_General 55-59 yrs` <br/>`V3_General 60-64 yrs` <br/>`V3_General 65-69 yrs` <br/>`V3_General 70-74 yrs` <br/>`V3_General 75-79 yrs` <br/>`V3_General 80+ yrs` <br/>`V3_At Risk 16-19 yrs` <br/>`V3_At Risk 20-24 yrs` <br/>`V3_At Risk 25-29 yrs` <br/>`V3_At Risk 30-34 yrs` <br/>`V3_At Risk 35-39 yrs` <br/>`V3_At Risk 40-44 yrs` <br/>`V3_At Risk 45-49 yrs` <br/>`V3_At Risk 50-54 yrs` <br/>`V3_At Risk 55-59 yrs` <br/>`V3_At Risk 60-64 yrs` <br/>`V3_At Risk 65-69 yrs` <br/>`V3_At Risk 70-74 yrs` <br/>`V3_At Risk 75-79 yrs` <br/>`V3_At Risk 80+ yrs` <br/>`V3_Airport/Border/Airline Staff` <br/>`V3_Clinically vulnerable/chronic illness/significant underlying health condition (excluding elderly and disabled)` <br/>`V3_Crowded/communal living conditions (dormitories for migrant workers, temporary accommodations)` <br/>`V3_Disabled People` <br/>`V3_Educators` <br/>`V3_Ethnic minorities` <br/>`V3_Factory workers` <br/>`V3_Frontline/essential workers (when subcategories not specified)` <br/>`V3_Frontline retail workers` <br/>`V3_Healthcare workers/carers (excluding care home staff)` <br/>`V3_Military` <br/>`V3_Other 'high contact' professions/groups (taxi drivers, security guards)` <br/>`V3_People living with a vulnerable/shielding person or other priority group` <br/>`V3_Police/ first responders` <br/>`V3_Pregnant people` <br/>`V3_Primary and secondary school students` <br/>`V3_Religious/Spiritual Leaders` <br/>`V3_Residents in an elderly care home` <br/>`V3_Staff working in an elderly care home` <br/>`V3_Tertiary education students` | Record how vaccines are funded for each category of people identified in V2 as currently receiving vaccines. | Ordinal scale | Blank - no data <br/>1 - full cost borne by the individual (or through private health insurance) or no policy <br/>2 - partially funded by government and individual pays nominal fee <br/>3 -  fully covered by government funding, FREE |

<br/>
Additional summary indicators are automatically generated by our database, based on data entered for variables in the previous table: 

| ID | Name | Description | Measurement | Coding |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| V2 | `V2_Vaccine eligibility/availability (summary)` | Reports whether any categories of people are receiving vaccines | Ordinal scale | Blank – no data <br/>0 – no categories  are receiving vaccines <br/>1 – vaccines are available to some categories <br/>2 – vaccines are available to anyone over the age of 16 yrs <br/>3 – vaccines are available to anyone over the age of 16 yrs PLUS one or both of 5-15 yrs and 0-4 yrs |
| V3 | `V3_Vaccine financial support (summary)` | Reports the overall approach taken to vaccine funding – whether paid by the individual or the government | Ordinal scale | Blank - no data <br/>0 – no availability <br/> 1 – full cost to the individual for all categories identified in V2 <br/> 2 – full cost to the individual for some categories identified in V2, some subsidy for other categories <br/> 3- partial funding by the government for all of the categories identified in V2 <br/> 4 – partial funding by the government for some categories identified in V2, full funding for other categories <br/> 5 – all categories fully funded by the government |

### Miscellaneous policies

| ID | Name | Description | Measurement | Coding |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| M1 | `M1_Wildcard` | Record policy announcements that do not fit anywhere else | Free text notes field | Note unusual or interesting interventions that are worth flagging  |

## Codebook changelog
- 27 September 2021: v3.4 note about removal of E3, E4 and H4
- 28 June 2021: v3.3 presenting the imputed vaccine indicators (V2 summary and V3 summary) into a separate table
- 21 June 2021: v3.02 edits to vaccine policy indicators table, fixing age ranges
- 12 June 2021: v3.01 added section for vaccine policies
- 5 May 2021: v2.10 added 'or all businesses open with alterations resulting in significant differences compared to non-Covid-19 operations' to C2 level 1
- 18 March 2021: v2.9 added H8 'Protection of elderly people' indicator
- 05 March 2021: v2.8 added 'non elderly' to definition of Clinically vulnerable groups' for H7
- 14 January 2021: v2.7 changed 'country' to 'country/territory' and removed 'private' from C4 definition, replaced E1 flag 'formal sector workers only' to 'formal sector workers only or informal sector workers only', and 'informal workers too' to 'all workers'
- 09 December 2020: v2.6 added H7 Vaccination policy indicator
- 04 November 2020: v2.5 added C1 expanded definition of '1' and added targeted/general flag to H6 indicator
- 22 October 2020: v2.4 added H6 Facial Coverings indicator
- 05 July 2020: v2.3 add better explanation of targeted/general flags in intro
- 22 May 2020: v2.2 changed description of E1=2 from "replacing more than 50% of lost salary" to "replacing 50% or more of lost salary"
- 11 May 2020: moved v2 codebook to GitHub
